Week 2 NFL Picks: Latest Betting Odds, Vegas Spreads and Projections

The NFL is an adapt-or-survive league, an approach would-be NFL bettors need to take as well after a chaotic Week 1. 

An opening salvo featuring upsets, unexpected developments and plenty of star power offered interesting lessons to take into the second week. Expected powerhouses like New Orleans fell, supposed down-on-their-luck types like Cleveland showed signs of life and—perhaps most important here—the lines from oddsmakers turned out to be quite exploitable.

Monday's Week 1 finale was a fine balancing act in this regard, with Detroit favored by about a touchdown before going down at the hands of the New York Jets. The favored Los Angeles Rams on the road against the Oakland Raiders, however, smoothed things out with a win. 

Week 2 starts Thursday with one of a few interesting divisional bouts, where bettors can strike early and work on the bankroll. 

Week 2 NFL Odds

Baltimore (-3) at Cincinnati | O/U 44

Carolina at Atlanta (-5) | O/U 44

Cleveland at New Orleans (-8.5) | O/U 50

Houston at Tennessee (n/a)  | O/U n/a

Indianapolis at Washington (-5.5) | O/U 46

Kansas City at Pittsburgh (-5.5) | O/U 53.5

L.A. Chargers (-7.5) at Buffalo | O/U 42.5

Miami at N.Y. Jets (-1) | O/U n/a

Minnesota at Green Bay (-2.5)  | O/U n/a

Philadelphia (-3) at Tampa Bay | O/U 44

Arizona at L.A. Rams (-10) | O/U 47

Detroit at San Francisco (-3.5) | O/U n/a

Oakland at Denver (-4) | O/U n/a

New England at Jacksonville (E) | O/U 45

N.Y. Giants at Dallas (-3) | O/U 42

Seattle at Chicago (-3) | O/U 43

Baltimore (-3) at Cincinnati

Jeff Roberson/Associated Press

We suggested the Cincinnati Bengals over the Indianapolis Colts in Week 1 because Marvin Lewis' team was the better one, point blank period. 

It's a similar story here in Week 2 as the Bengals return home victorious and host the Baltimore Ravens. 

It was easy to see the Bengals coming out ahead against the Colts due to an elite pass rush and proven talent at skill positions. This eventually counteracted Andrew Luck's will, resulting in 24 second-half points to secure a 34-23 win in large part thanks to 17 carries for 95 yards and a touchdown from Joe Mixon, who also caught five passes for 54 yards. 

Those who favor the Ravens in this matchup will point to Baltimore's 47-3 thumping of the Buffalo Bills, but it's hard to take the home blowout seriously given the level of competition. The Bills look like the worst team in the league by quite a bit. They get a tip of the hat for taking care of business, obviously, but let's see these Ravens against real competition. 

On paper, Joe Flacco isn't going to have much time to sling another three touchdowns against this Cincinnati pass rush. In two games against the Bengals last year, Flacco never completed more than 53.2 percent of his passes with three touchdowns and two interceptions and little should change in this regard. Keep in mind even against the Bills his ground game only mustered 3.4 yards per carry, a number inflated by Lamar Jackson's 5.6 average. 

At home and on a roll already, the Cincinnati offense is going to cruise while winning the field-position battle thanks to the pass rush. The Ravens have never had an answer for A.J. Green and now have to find solutions for Mixon and John Ross on the outside, which should have a comfortable upset unfolding here. 

Prediction: Bengals 27, Ravens 17

Oakland at Denver (-4) 

Dustin Bradford/Getty Images

Before Monday, Oakland visiting the Denver Broncos in Week 2 looked like one of the tougher matchups to predict. 

Not anymore. 

These Raiders looked downright gunshy at home during a 33-13 blowout at the hands of the Rams, at one point even getting Derek Carr throwing the ball away out of bounds from a clean pocket. Carr, once thought of as an MVP candidate before injury hiccups, went for 303 yards with a trio of interruptions. 

The matchup here just doesn't bode well for the Raiders, especially on the road. Denver had its hands full at home with the Seattle Seahawks and came away with a 27-24 win while Case Keenum looked about as expected in his debut, slinging a trio of touchdowns and interceptions while getting propped up by a six-sack performance from his defense. 

Of course, the surrounding pieces matter as well. Oakland got under four yards per tote from Marshawn Lynch against the Rams and the defense tallied all of one sack while coughing up 140 rushing yards on a  5.4 average. Contrast that with Denver keeping Russell Wilson under contests fire and picking him off twice and the narrative here is easy to craft. 

As of now, Keenum is more trustworthy, as his breakout year a season ago doesn't appear to be a fluke. His surrounding pieces and the fact this unfolds in Denver make for an easy-looking play, especially while keeping in mind the NFL's oldest roster is also trying to turn around on a short week for this game. 

Prediction: Broncos 35, Raiders 20

Seattle at Chicago (-3) 

Jack Dempsey/Associated Press

While those Seahawks aren't a lost cause just yet thanks to a player like Wilson, they are in recent years notorious for both miserable road play and getting off to slow starts. 

Those slow starts are going to continue in the Windy City. 

The Seahawks couldn't protect Wilson in Denver, which is a terrible development going into Chicago and having to deal with a guy by the name of Khalil Mack:

Keep in mind Mack did his damage after only recently joining the Bears, and while it didn't result in a win, so it goes when taking on Aaron Rodgers. 

Those Bears didn't get a touchdown pass from Mitchell Trubisky during the heartbreaking loss to the Green Bay Packers, but the rushing attacking rattled off 139 yards and a score on a 5.1 average and got a strong debut from wideout Allen Robinson, who tallied 61 yards on four catches. 

While it's never easy to discredit the Wilson factor, Seattle lost too many pieces over the offseason to comfortably side with them here during a second consecutive road game early in the season.

Chicago fell victim to Rodgers but made it plain as day the flurry of offseason moves and Mack trade equates to one of the league's most dramatic improvements, something the Seahawks will discover the hard way. 

Prediction: Bears 24, Seahawks 20

Odds via OddsShark.